The embodiments herein relate generally to tools which render and impact in a designated area. Prior to embodiments of the disclosed invention, handheld impact tools had a fixed mass, a fixed geometry and limited use. Embodiments of the disclosed invention permit greater versatility in this regard. The prior art includes: A sand rammer made by Ingersoll Rand; U.S. Pat. No. 7,914,233 issued to Crane; U.S. Patent Application 2012/0012391 filed by Trevisani; U.S. Pat. No. 6,129,487 issued to Bermingham; U.S. Pat. No. 4,627,499 issued to Dillenburg; U.S. Pat. No. 2,669,431 issued to Crowell; U.S. Pat. No. 5,150,636 issued to Hill; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,645,132 issued to Asberg.
The prior art regarding tools for rendering vertical force fits roughly into two categories: first are impact tools that intend to create an impact force on a flat surface and second are drills that create a rotational force and a threaded surface. Ingersoll Rand, Crane and Bermingham are examples of impact tools while Trevisani, Dillenburg and Crowell teach drilling tools.
Ingersoll Rand teaches and air driven impact tool, similar to a jackhammer but designed to level sand. This can be used in a construction work site. The difficulty with using compressible fluids, such as air, is that they require the use of a compressor and create a great deal of vibration for the use.
Crane teaches an impact tool with a conical base wherein the conical base is struck with a pipe. The impact of the pipe against the conical base can be increased by inserting a sock into the pipe and then filling the sock with a ballast, “such as sand, river rock, crushed rock, small diameter stones, gravel, plastic or expanded plastic pellets or a similar material.”
Trevisani teaches a drilling machine for excavating a hole. The machine uses a series of cutters to remove soil and then remove the soil through evacuation tubes. There is a guide that is impacting a surface, but this is more to align the machine than to render a vertical force. Ballast can be used to increase the weight of the entire assembly pressing down on the cutters, but not to increase the impact of the guides on the earth. Since the machine moves deliberately though the earth, there is unlikely to be a meaningful impact force.
Bermingham teaches and underwater pile driving tool. The tool impacts a pile submerged in water to drive the pile downward. The tool has a pile cap, of unstated geometry that appears rounded and most of the rest of the tool assures that the pile cap moves downward in an axial manner. The tool proffers that some ballast can be used, but largely to adjust buoyancy and not to otherwise affect the impact of the pile cap.
Dillenburg teaches a drilling tool comprising a drill bit that is attached to a telescoping arm. The telescoping arm is attached to a boom with a water ballast compartment. The water ballast offers additional support, by moving the mass moment of inertia of the system proximate the drilling bit in order to assist the drilling tool.
Crowell teaches an earth drilling machine for drilling under water. A drill bit is attached to a drill pipe section the drill pipe section is attached to a machine anchored to the seabed by water ballast in tanks. Much like the nautical machine in Bermingham, the ballast is used for stability and not for an impact tool.
Hill teaches a process for making a drill bit using cryogenic annealing. The drill bit has a drill face attached to a shank. There is no theory of how to increase or decrease the weight to create a meaningful impact force.
Asberg teaches a drill bit that is impacted with a piston in order to impart percussive shocks for the purpose of penetrating earth and rock. Asberg does not teach a substantially flat lower surface or how impact could be adjusted with ballast.
Having canvassed the prior art, these references are combined in two ways: first combining the impact tool in view of the drill results in the threaded tool with a flat face in Hill. At that point, there is no theory of how to use a ballast to increase the force on the tool. Alternately, combining the drill in view of the impact tool results in the impact drill bit in Asberg, which is configured to administer a vibration to break up earth and does not teach a flattening action.